1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protective garments and more particularly pertains to a new pneumatic torso armor and helmet for creating a visual display on a wearer for use at sporting events.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of protective garments is known in the prior art. More specifically, protective garments heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art protective garments include U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,486 to Lightbody; U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,706 to Ketcham et al.; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 298,474 to Twede; U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,927 to DeBose; U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,425 to Mele; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,341 to Howard.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new pneumatic torso armor and helmet. The inventive device includes an inflatable body portion comprised of a front panel, a back panel, and a pair of shoulder panels. The front panel has a chest portion and an abdominal portion. A side of the front panel has an inflation tube extending outwardly therefrom. The front panel has couplers extending outwardly of lower side edges thereof. The back panel has corresponding couplers extending outwardly of lower side edges thereof for mating with the straps of the front panel. The shoulder panels have opposed lateral edges each having corresponding couplers disposed thereon for engaging the shoulder panels to a wearer.
In these respects, the pneumatic torso armor and helmet according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of creating a visual display on a wearer for use at sporting events.